Self-Directed Online Learners' Use of a Professional Development Website: The Power of Web Analytics

• In Event: Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: Online Teaching and Learning Poster Session

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how self-directed online learners use a professional development website designed for literacy educators (www.LitDiet.org). Over a period of one year, web analytics were employed to gain insights into the usage of and interest in a literacy professional development website. Reports generated from Piwik, a sophisticated open-source web analytics tool, were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The analyses revealed key patterns of use for overall visits, return visits, and non-return visits. Data generated from return visitor logs provided an especially powerful narrative to accompany the quantitative metrics and resulted in three patterns of behavior of self-directed online learners. Implications are discussed.

Authors

• Pamela Beach, Queen's University

• Dale M. Willows, University of Toronto - OISE